A note from Lenora and I thought it was interesting to add to the Chip Truck story.
- "I was just reading your blog about "Ye Olde Chip Truck" that wasn't always called that. It was just "The Chip Truck" until a new owner renamed it about 20 years ago. I grew up in Kenora and I can't remember NOT having the chip truck on that corner. There used to be a grocery store where the market square building is now and the chip truck sat on the corner of the parking lot. There have been several owners but the lady who served the chips for years must have been John's wife and I think her name was Mary.. She was pleasantly plump and always wore a white dress and apron. Some days the smell of chips and vinegar in the street just pulled you to the truck like a magnet. She always asked "Do you want salt and vinegar?" and who besides my sister in law doesn't have salt and vinegar on their chips? She always had the vinegar in a 7up bottle (the old glass kind) with a sprinkly thing on the end and then poured a stream of salt in a circular motion around the chips and then shook like mad to put on more vinegar to spread the salt around. I don't know if they still use a 7up bottle for vinegar. I make a point to avoid the place, although once every few years I just give in to that magnet and go get a bowl of grease with S&V. I've heard they soak the potatoes in sugar water before cooking to give them their unique flavour. There isn't one healthy thing about those yummy things! That was the original chip truck but there are at least 3 more…so I think Kenora has more chip trucks per capita than anywhere else in the world."
Have you ever been to the Varsity in Atlanta?….also famous for it’s french fries….we only went there once and as my son said…”We won’t have to walk to our car, after all of this grease we’ll just slide.” We felt after living in Atlanta for four years we should really have lunch there before moving back to Florida….
places and peoople, the things that make great memories.
Pam I loved your story about The Chip Truck and the additional commentary was delightful. Thank you.
So fun to hear unique history and stories of these towns. Jan
And to think that’s what my husband and I had for lunch today. On our way from Toronto to Lindsay, I got hungry and asked my husband to stop at the next chip truck. Well, we past one because I wasn’t looking but dear old hubby noticed and stopped a bit ahead to turn around on a two lane highway. Not much traffic so we were OK. The other drivers probably thought we had to get gas since the chip truck was beside the gas station. Medium fries with gravy, a small milk for me and a coke for my husband came to $6.85. Generous amount of fries and I couldn’t eat all of my half. If I would have thought of it earlier, I would have had the malt vinegar instead of the gravy. Salt was added, of course. Yes, not too healthy but it only gets eaten once in a blue moon.
Well done Dolores….You go girl.
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